Longtime Monessen pizza shop closes
Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter
Nuzzaci Pizza Shoppe in Monessen recently shut down its operation after about 70 years of making pizzas.
After about seven decades in business, Nuzzaci Pizza Shoppe in Monessen has closed.
The pizza sign displayed for years in the basement of Nuzzaci Pizza Shoppe, 483 Knox Ave, Monessen
Courtesy of Nuzzaci Pizza Shoppe
The Sicilian-style, pan pizza made at Nuzzaci Pizza Shoppe for about 70 years
MONESSEN – A pizza shop that was a city staple for about seven decades has closed its doors.
Nuzzaci Pizza Shoppe opened in Monessen in 1952, but injuries suffered in a recent fall by owner John Sassak forced him to close the business last month.
Sassak, who turns 70 in March, said it was just he and his wife, Patricia Cunningham, working at the shop and it just became too much, especially since his wife also works six days a week at the Monessen Foodland.
“When we had that bad ice and snow storm about three weeks ago I fell and bruised my hip real bad,” Sassak said. “I couldn’t find anybody to work for us. It’s only us. I just had to close because I can’t work anymore.”
Sassak’s grandmother, Cosamina Nuzzaci, opened the restaurant in 1952 in the basement of her home on 483 Knox Ave. When Nuzzaci died in 1964, her daughter, Mary Sassak – John’s mother – took over the business. Mary Sassak ran the shop until her death in 2002.
After retiring from his job as a truck driver, John Sassak took over, making him the third generation of the family to operate Nuzzaci Pizza Shoppe.
The shop that made and sold only pizza already had decreased its days of operation to just Friday and Saturday last August, as Sassak had some other health issues with which to deal.
Still, he admitted the decision to close was hard.
“I feel bad about it,” Sassak said. “We really couldn’t tell anybody (we were closing). I would have had a line to the Charleroi-Monessen Bridge and back.”
That’s just an example of how popular the pizza was. During its two days of operation in recent months, most pizzas were pre-ordered. Sassak couldn’t take walk-in customers.
Orders came from all over the country for the square, Sicilian-style pan pizza, and it would be shipped via FedEx.
“We would freeze the sauce, put the shell in a 2 ½ gallon baggie and put the cheese in containers,” Sassak said.
“As long as they were willing to pay what it cost to go overnight – and it was expensive – we would mail it out.”
Even though the business was only open two days, there were still many pizzas being made.
“We would go through 65 to 70 trays in two days,” Sassak said.
“It was mainly cash and carry. You bring the cash, you can carry.”
Many customers nicknamed the thick-crust pizza “sponge pizza” because of its soft texture.
“They said it was like biting into air,” Sassak said.
There were only a few toppings available – pepperoni, mushrooms, anchovies, sausage and onions. And the pepperoni was placed underneath the cheese.
Sassak said he has heard from many people expressing their disappointment that he had to close.
One Facebook post stated, “When I think of high school memories, I think of Nuzzaci’s! Sad day indeed my friend.”
Another one said, “The best pizza. Great memories running to there at lunch to get their pizza.”
Sassak said he has also heard from a couple people who feel he should make the recipe developed by his grandmother public.
Well, that’s not going to happen.
One of the main reasons is the recipe calls for pizzas to be made in bulk.
“It would be hard to break it down just to make pizza for yourself and your family,” Sassak said. “We make it in volume. “
Now that the pizza shop has closed, what will Sassak miss the most?
“Everything,” he said succinctly. “I loved working with people.”